Journey Through Dawn
by Poetgirl616
Summary: Lucy longs to be back in Narnia and finally gives up hopes of seeing her beloved land again. Coping with the horrors of living with the Scrubbs, she and Edmund shake things up a bit before something unthinkable happens! On hold
1. Prologue

Caspian the Tenth looked out over the calm sea, leaning on the railing with crossed arms. His mid neck length brown hair floated softly with the light breeze and his eyes closed in content. "A fine day for sailing, I think." He told himself as he basked in sunlight.

"Your Majesty, we had best set sail while the good weather holds." Lord Drinian stated as he went to stand by Caspian.

"Alright, captain. Hoist anchor and let loose sails." Caspian commanded as he left for his cabin to look over some maps.

"Look alive, gents! Hoist anchor! Loose full sails! Faster there, Rynelf! That's the way! Half crew below deck for rowing!" Drinian ordered as he took the massive wheel in his hands and prepared to steer the _Dawn Treader_ from the docks.

Caspian paced his cabin restlessly, for the fourth time that day, after glancing at the map on his table. _So much is to be done and in such a small amount of time_, he thought wearily. _How can I search the entire ocean and expect to find all of them_?

The boy king ceased pacing and ran his hands over his face. _Aslan help us_.


	2. Chapter 1

Lucy started awake, sitting up in bed and looking around the dreary bedroom. She groaned in dismay to discover she had only been dreaming of Narnia, and had not been brought back. Edmund turned over on his pellet next to her bed; he knew how she was about storms and had risked much by sneaking into her room. He had confessed that he couldn't sleep with their horrid cousin Eustace's constant snoring.

"Edmund? Edmund!" Lucy whispered as she gently shook his arm.

He groaned in protest and weakly batted her hands away before opening his eyes reluctantly. "What? What?"

"You should go, Aunt Alberta is awake. She'll catch you in here if you don't try to hurry!" she whispered back urgently as she took his blankets from him.

"Alright, Lu, I'm up!" Edmund declared as he sat up and stretched out. He gathered his blankets before walking over to the door cautiously, peeking outside for signs of Aunt Alberta and snuck to his room when the hallway seemed clear.

Lucy slid from the bed and searched for a simple dress suitable to wear to breakfast. She was in the bathroom brushing her hair when she caught sight of her reflection. She did not look like a queen of Narnia, she looked like a little girl from London—a mere child_. I will never be beautiful like Susan_, she thought in dismay. _They will never see you. You are not even a shadow of her, you could never compare_.

"Lucy! Get down here before your breakfast gets cold!" Aunt Alberta called from the kitchen.

"Be right down, Aunt Alberta!" Lucy called back before flattening her dress with her hands and hurrying downstairs. Edmund, Eustace, Alberta, and Harold were at the table; in front of each of them lay a plate filled with bacon, eggs, toasts, and a small stack of waffles. Lucy sat next to Edmund and immediately cut into her waffles for a bite, earning a glare from Aunt Alberta. She glanced at Edmund and had to pretend to wipe her mouth with a napkin to hide her giggles.

"Stop that slouching! _Don't_ chew with your mouth open—you are _not_ a cow! I don't know how your mother raised you, but in my house you _will_ act proper—like a lady should behave." Aunt Alberta stated shrilly but proudly, sticking her nose into the air like an aristocrat would.

Edmund made to stand up, an angry furrow in his brow, but Lucy forced him back down into his chair. "No! I don't like the way they talk about mother either, but it won't help matters if you fight with her." She whispered meaningfully. "Just clear your mind, Ed. It will help, I promise."

"I can't just sit here and do nothing while she insults our mother!" He whispered back through gritted teeth as he glared at his sister angrily, daring her to tell him to let it go.

"I am suggesting that you clear your mind until another, more appropriate time. For now we concentrate on coping with Eustace." Lucy whispered with an arm on Edmunds' arm. "Our time will come, and we will be the victorious ones in the end."

"_What_ are you two whispering about? I am talking to you! How dare you be so rude in my house! You will learn respect if I have to beat it into you!" Aunt Alberta declared loudly, grabbing Lucy by the arm firmly and dragging her from the kitchen.

"We were talking about Susan's birthday! We were only talking! We didn't do anything wrong!" Lucy shouted, struggling as she was harshly dragged to Alberta's shed. The young woman could hear her brother's protests as he tried to reach her, but Uncle Harold subdued him. She struggled futilely while she was tied to the wood column with rope, pleading with her aunt to release her. Alberta fetched a whipping rod and lowered the top of her dress so that her shoulders and back were bare. She slapped Lucy when the girl tried to ask her aunt to release her. Alberta reared back with the rod before swinging forward and making the first lash on Lucy's back, causing the girl to scream in pain. She paused in midair to search for a rag to use as a gag on her niece as she punished her. Alberta forcefully shoved the rag into Lucy's moth and continued to strike her with the rod, Lucy's screams muffled by the rag. She thanked Aslan that she passed out after a while of it, grateful for the small amount of peace.

Lucy opened her eyes, groaning at the pain emanating from her back and shoulder blades. She was aware of something being carefully applied to her back, and soft words being spoken to her. She looked to her left, smiling at her brother with some effort. "Hello, Ed."

He frowned, continuing to put strips of cloth soaked with water on her wounds and gently pressed them so they released water then soaked up bloody water. "I hate her for what she's done to you, Lu. She had no right to hurt you—you did nothing wrong! I hate that I couldn't get to you—couldn't help you."

"Ed, it's not your fault. Harold is older, stronger, and had a surprise attack advantage over you. Let's figure out how to get through this until mother sends for us. We can't tell her, this would spur her to send for us before she can, putting more pressure on both her and father. When Susan writes us we act normal, agreed?"

He seemed flabbergasted. "Act normal after the horrid thing they've done? Are you mad?"

"Please, Ed. Trust me on this. Do we have an agreement?"

"Yes, we have an agreement." Edmund consented reluctantly, taking the cloth strips and large bowl of bloody water away. She had barely noticed him wrap her wrist in bandages and apply gauze to the wounds on her back and shoulders. Lucy smiled softly, her brother was aconundrum indeed. Hard as stone and easy to anger most times, but when it came to those he loves he could be soft and gentle as any loving mother.

"Lucy Pevensie! Get down here this instant and finish your breakfast!" Aunt Alberta yelled angrily.

Lucy sighed to herself but left the bed, slipping her dress up and fastening it before going downstairs. She sat down next to Edmund once again, not looking at her aunt or uncle.

"Finally decide to quit your selfish foolishness and join us?" Alberta asked in a tone that could send chills down anyones back.

"Yes, maam. I'm sorry, maam." Lucy replied meekly, still a little weak from the punishment. The day passed and so did Aunt Alberta's temper, leaving Lucy and Edmund to read in peace. That night she lay in bed and cried herself to sleep, wishing she could return to Narnia to rid herself of her awful relatives.

***One Week Later***

"Lucy, the mail's here! Come quickly!" Edmund shouted as he ran to Lucy's bedroom carrying a thick envelope.

She darted out of the bathroom and hurried to her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. She ushered him to sit on the bed, taking the envelope from him and ripping it open eagerly. "It's a letter from Susan!"

It reads:

_Dear_ _Lucy and Edmund,_

_I have been attending the University Of Indiana and have been studying to become a beautician. Mother thinks it suits me since I have always paid attention to the styles of modern women. Peter is gone alot, he's been signed up for the army and moves around quite a bit. Father works most of the time, we hardly see him any more with the times being so hard. Mother hopes you won't mind a few more months in Cambridge with Aunt Alberta and Uncle Harold. I almost forgot! I met a handsome naval officer, his name is Tom Williams and he has asked to escort me to the dinner tomorrow night for the navy. I think he fancies me, but I'm not sure just yet. How is Caspian? Have you made it back? To Narnia I mean. Write me back as soon as possible, and if you have been back be sure to give me lots of details. We miss you all very much!_

_Love,Susan_

"Another few months? She must be mad!" Edmund whispered in astonishment.

"I don't believe this!" Lucy whispered back, all excitement draining from her body. She opened the envelope and pulled out recent pictures of Susan, Peter, mother and father. "I don't think we should tell them, but still it is hard on the heart to know we will be stuck here longer."

"Mother! Edmund and Lucy are neglecting their chores again!" Eustace shouted from the doorway of Lucy's bedroom. Edmund shot up from the bed and swung at him, but Eustace ducked and ran from the room. "Mother! Edmund tried to hit me again!"

A furious Alberta barged into the room with her hands on her hips. "_What_ do you think you're doing lounging about? I told you to scrub the bathroom floor!"

"We did clean the floor, Aunt Alberta." Lucy replied defensively.

Alberta slapped her hard across the face. "You will not speak to me like that! I've had enough of this! Harold! Fetch the hot coals from the stove! I will teach you a lessen you will never forget!"

Alberta flung a struggling Lucy back on the bed, rolling her over and using a coarse rope to tie her hands and feet to the bed posts. She had Eustace make sure Harold had subdued Edmund in his bedroom before undressing Lucy, making sure she was covered by a sheet when her husband came with the pan of coals. Once Harold left the room, Alberta removed the sheet from Lucy's back and grabbed the tongs her husband had left. She grabbed a shining red coal and cooled it a bit with water so the light dimmed before holding it over Lucy, slowly bringing it closer to Lucy's skin. Lucy scream and cried, struggling against her bonds in hope of loosening them but her hopes were in vain when Alberta touched the coal to her skin for only a second. It was only a second but the pain was unbearable! Lucy screamed for Edmund, Susan, Peter, her parents, anyone she hoped would save her. This process continued until Lucy was checkered with first degrees burns all over her back, finally Alberta left so she could be tended. Edmund ran into the room with ointments for her burns and bandages. He gently applied the ointment, apologizing repeatedly when she winced or whimpered and then carefully wrapped the bandages around her loosely so they needed press her burns.

"I'm sorry, Lu. I don't mean to, you know." Edmund murmured glumly, covering his sister with a sheet so she could keep her modesty and left with a tender kiss to her head.

"Ed?" Lucy whispered, making him pause at her doorway. "Thank you."

He smiled gently and closed the door, allowing her to dress in private. She carefully slid into a soft cream colored dress, dreading the return to the kitchen. Aunt Alberta had ordered Lucy to wait on the Wilkson family as they visited Alberta and Harold for dinner. The Wilksons worked with Harold at the bank of Cambridge; all of them were six feet tall or just below, all of them had brown hair, all had brown eyes and had fair skin. There were two boys and one girl named Jacob, Alexander, and Amanda. They each loved to taunt Lucy, teaming up with Eustace to throw food at her and call her umentionable names. All through this Alberta smiled knowingly and encouraged them while Harold talked business with Mr. Wilkson. Finally around the time to do dishes and clean up Lucy had had enough.

"That's it! I am not going to clean up after those vicious, evil, manipulative, _dragons_ anymore!" Lucy shouted as she stormed into the living room. She stood before Alberta with her hands on her hips, glaring at her. "I refuse to do you bidding anymore! I am not your servant and you will not treat me so! I am a guest and you will treat me as such or I will leave here taking great care to turn you in to the British Consul!"

"How dare you turn on me in my own home! Must I teach you another lesson you insolent ford!" Alberta spat back viciously, shooting from her spot on the couch.

"Come Edmund, we are leaving this hellhole for good! But before I go I want to let you know, Aunt Alberta, what a vicious mental case you are." Lucy stated menacingly, glaring at her aunt before turning to go upstairs. She found Edmund sitting on her bed looking at a brown tethered book, confusion evident on his face. She frowned at him, _why isn't he ready to leave_? "Edmund?"

"Lucy, I've just noticed the strangest thing. This book-it's Narnian. How is that possible? I didn't believe at first but the pictures prove it. Look." Edmund turned the battered looking book around so the pictures were facing Lucy, she gasped when she noticed a certain brown haired man standing at the railing of a ship. A ship with a dragon carved on the front and a Narnian flag floating with the breeze. Lucy looked closer, shocked to see the flag begin to wave and the soft sound of wind surround them. The siblings jumped when Eustace barged into the room loudly, banging the door against the wall.

"What is the meaning of what happened downstairs? I have a mind to contact the British Consul and tell them you've been trespassin on our lands!" Eustace declared haughtily.

"Your family are the problem! Bossing us about and beating us like ill-treated servant! We are your guests! Your _relatives_!" Lucy shouted heatedly. She stopped speaking when she felt something wet under her foot. She was astonished to see water pooling throughtout the room, coming from the book! Suddenly the water began pouring from the book at an accelerated rate, filling the room quickly and forcing Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace to begin swimming to stay above the water. Eustace paniced and pulled Lucy under, Edmund pushed Eustace over allowing Lucy to resurface. She was unprepared for what she saw. The room had disappered, leaving a wide open ocean! Hearing sloshing behind her, Lucy turned and gasped. The ship from the pictures was coming right for them!

"Eustace swim!" Lucy shouted, forgetting their arguement and swimming after Edmund.

There were many shouts a few splashes behind them but the trio paid no mind and kept swimming. Lucy began to panic when she felt arms surround her underwater.

"It's alright, I've got you. I won't let you drown." A familiar voice said as he gently tugged her toward him. She turned and smiled widely at the Talmarine face she saw in front of her.

"Caspian? Caspian! Edmund it's Caspian! We're back!" Lucy shouted joyfully as the boy king led her to the side of the ship while crew members threw ropes over the edge to pull them up. "I can't believe we're finally back."

"You are, Lucy. Welcome back to Narnia." Caspian replied happily, smiling down at her.


End file.
